Traveling platform, grate, or surface.



No. 853,129. PATENTED MAY 7,1907.

A. L. SIMPSON. TRAVELING PLATFORM, GRATE, 0R SURFACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 19.1907.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 1,

A. L. SIMPSON.

TRAVELING PLATFORM, GRATE, 0R SURFACE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 19.1907.

PATENTBD MAY 7, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES ALFRED L. siMrsoiibr-iiiiw Yoan-N. Y.

TRAVELING PLATFORM, GRATE, OR SURFACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application med March 19, 190i. serial No. 363,273.

To all whom zit-molly concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. SIMPsoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have inventedv certain new and useful Improvements in TravelingPlatforms, Grates, or Surfaces, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to traveling platforms or surfaces, such as movingside-walks, escalators, or traveling furnace grates and the like; and ithas for its object a platform or surface composed of numerous smallersurfaces or links so constructed that it may be readily assembled orlinked together, be selfsupporting, fiexible and capable of being drivenas an endless surface.

For this pur ose my invention consists'essentially of a p atform orsurface composed of a number of interlinking pieces rovided withoverlapping iiat surfaces, each aving a front coupling hook and a rearsocket, the v hook of one link being adapted to be laterally nslrtedinto the socket of the next preceding The nature of my invention will bebest understood when described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a link. Fig. 2 is aside elevation showing an endless surface, such as a distilling grate ofa furnace. Fig. 3 is an enlarged viewof part of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a topview of a traveling surface.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of same on the line .5 5 Fig. 4.

lSimilar characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates one of the link pieces whichmake up the. platform or surface. These link pieces are adaptedtebelaterally inserted and fit together as shown, forming a platform orsurface upon which people or material may bev carried; or, formingtraveling grates upon which coal may be distilled as in smokelesscombustion furnaces.

The link itself is shaped as shown in Fig. 1

l having a front coupling hook 1 1 substantially cylindrical, and a rearsocket 12 adapted to retain the coupling hook 11 of the next link, andconforming substantially to the shape of the hook 11. A tooth 13 isprovided upon these links to allow them to be driven by a sprocket wheel14 or the like.

The surface is formed from the individual links by. driving themsidewise into one another, the front coupling hook of one fitting therear socket of the next preceding link, as shown. driving them outlaterally, and cannot be lifted out vertically. Sufficient clearance isleft to allow the hooks to turn freely within the sockets; and in thecase of a traveling grate to. also take care of the expansion.

The grate maybe made staggered as shown in Fig. 4 to prevent theformation of a continuous line of opening between adjacent series oflinks.

This form of traveling grate is particularly applicable to smokelesscombustion furnaces as a traveling distilling grate.

Due yto the peculiar over-lapping and interlinking construction, thegrate is practically air tight.v Or, holes may be provided as shown inone of the links Fig. 4 to supply air for combustion, if desired. It isvery readily assembled; and a broken link may quickly and easily bereplaced. There are also no bolts or the like required to hold the linkstogether, but they are entirely interlinked and self-supporting andstill retain asubstantially smooth upper surface upon which people ormaterials may be carried. The surface is substantially closed whether itbe traveling straight or in a curved direction.

I claim 1. A carrier comprising: a series of overlapping, flat-toppedlinks each having a front substantially cylindrical coupling hook; and arear socket, of substantially the shape of said" hook.

2. An endless travelin carrier comprising: a series of over-lappinglinks each having a front substantially cylindrical coupling hook; and arear socket, of substantially the shape of said hook.

A 3. A traveling carrier comprising: a series of over-lapping links eachhaving a front substantially cylindrical coupling hook; a rear socket ofsubstantially the shape of 'said hook; and means adapted'to be engagedby a driving mechanism.

4. A built up traveling carrier closing off ingress of air from belowand comprising a The links may only be removed byl IOO series ofover-lapping, flat-topped links each having a front substantiallycylindrical coup Signed at New York, in the county of New ling hook, anda rear socket7 of substantially York and State of New York this 11th dayof the shape of said hook. March A. D. 1907.

5. A link for built up carriers comprising: ALFRED L. SIMPSON. 5 a Hatupper surface; a front substantially ey- Witnesses:

lindrieal coupling hook and a rear socket7 of CHARLES R. BROWN,

substantially the shape of said llook. FREDK F. SOHUETZ.

